Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran said it was difficult for him to gauge the role of India in resolving the ‘Tamil National Question’ in Sri Lanka because that country seemed to be adopting a non-interference attitude.

In an interview with the Daily Mirror, the Chief Minister said Sri Lanka would have to submit its report on the progress made in this regard to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva in March 2019.

Asked about the kind of influence of South Indian parties, he said Tamil Nadu factor was irrelevant. He said there was a lot of infighting among the parties there.

“Tamil Nadu is irrelevant now. They have their own problems. This is not a matter to be worried about,” he said.

In the absence of the United States, he said there were other countries like the United Kingdom, conscious of Sri Lanka’s issue.

“I believe the pressure on our Government to fulfil its obligations under the Consensus Resolution, will not be any lighter, just because the US has pulled out,” he said.

“I do not think our future is bleak as such. There are ways that pressure can be brought to the Government,” he said. (Kelum Bandara)